Automatic feed for grain-grinders and the like.



M. F. VERITY.

AUTOMATIC FEED FOR GRAIN GRINDERS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17. 1915.

1,166,024.- Pat ented Dec. 28, 1915.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON n c MORLEY FOUNTAIN VERITY, 0F BRANTFORD, ON'IABIC, CANADA, ASSIGNOR T0 MASSEY-HARRIS COMPANY, LIMITED, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

AUTOMATIC FEED FOR GRAIN-GRINDERS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed March 17, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MORLEY FOUNTAIN VERITY, of the city of Brantford, in the county of Brant, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Feeds for Grain-Grinders and the like, of which the following is a specification.

In the operation of feed grain grinders by internal combustion motors, a good deal of trouble is caused by misiiring of the engine, which slows down the grinding mechanism without materially affecting the feed, which results in the apparatus becoming choked.

My object is to provide means for automatically cutting off the feed if the speed of the grinding mechanism falls below a predetermined minimum, and for automatically regulating the rate of feed in correspondence substantially with the rate of grinding.

I attain my object by providing the apparatus with feed control means operable by means of a centrifugal governor driven from a suitable rotatable part, and constructed in detail substantially as hereinafter more specifically described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a grain grinder provided with my attachment; and Fig. 2 an enlarged detail in side elevation of the construction of parts of the apparatus showing the attachment in a different position to Fig. 1.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

This invention is shown in connection with a grinding machine as shown and described in United States Patent No. 1127947 issued February 9th, 1915, though it is applicable to any type of grain grinder or to any apparatus in which bulk material in a granular or pulverulent condition is to be fed to apparatus, including a rotating part, in which it is subjected to mechanical treatment.

The main features of the grinder illustrated, as far as the present invention is con cerned, are the frame 1, the grinder shaft 2, the shaker shaft 3, the screen 4 discharging into the hopper 5 of the grinder mechanism, and the feed hopper 6 discharging on to the screen 4. The grinder shaft 2 has the pulley 7 secured thereon, which by means of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

Serial No. 15,122.

the belt 8 drives the pulley 9 secured to the shaker shaft 3.

The shaker shaft actuates the screen in the ordinary manner, the screen being supported for vibratory movement either in the manner shown in the prior patent referred to or in any suitable manner.

The lower end of the hopper is provided with a suitable valve 10. Preferably this is a pivoted valve of the butterfly type. The spindle 11 of this valve has a rock arm 12 secured thereto by means of which the valve may be operated. This rock arm is actuated by a centrifugal governor driven from one of the rotating parts of the mechanism.

Preferably the governor is located on the shaker shaft 3 and is of the ordinary flyball type acting against a spring to increase the sensitiveness of the governing. This governor comprises a collar 13 secured to the shaft 3 and a collar ll slidable thereon. The two are connected by the spring arm 15 carrying the fly-balls 16. These springs serve the purpose of pivoted arms. The coil spring 17 is arranged between the two collars and has the usual effect of the weighting of a vertical governor to increase the sensitiveness of the governing.

The collar 14 has a grooved extension 18 formed thereon. On this extension is clamped the divided collar 19 provided with the flange 2O projecting into the groove of the extension 18. The collar 19 will thus reciprocate on the shaft with the collar 14, while the latter is free to rotate without rotating the collar 19. The connecting rod 21 is pivotally connected with the collar 19 and the rock arm 12.

From this construction it will be seen that the movements of the governor control the opening and closing of the valve 10. The valve will be set so that when the machine is running at full speed, the How of grain from the hopper will be just as much as the grinding apparatus is capable of satisfactorily handling. If the apparatus falls below the predetermined speed, as it will if the internal combustion motor usually employed for operating the grinder misses an explosion, the feed will be substantially cut ofi. At intermediate speeds, the discharge from the hopper will be suitably varied to suit the reduced grinding capacity of the apparatus.

In order that the opening of the valve at any given speed may be varied or adjusted, I provide the coil spring 22, which is adjustably connected with the frame work of the apparatus and to some part whereby its tension will tend to close the valve. Preferably the connection is with the connecting rod 21 as shown, the other end of the spring being connected with a threaded bolt 28 projecting through a lug 24: on the frame of the apparatus and adjusted by means of a butterfly nut 25.

It has been stated that as the speed goes down the feed is reduced and finally closed off. It follows then that if the prime mover stops the feed stops, and that no feed takes place again until the power is on again and a predetermined speed has been reached.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In apparatus comprising movable means, including a horizontal. rotating shaft, for treating bulk material such as grain, and a feed hopper for feeding such material, the combination with said treating means and hopper of a valve for controlling the feed horizontally hinged at right angles to said shaft; a crank arm whereby the valve may be actuated; a centrifugal governor on said shaft; a collar loose on said shaft connected with said governor so that it may be moved longitudinally of said shaft without rotating; and a connecting rod pivotally connected directly with said crank arm and collar whereby the valve is actuated by said collar.

2. In apparatus comprising movable means, including a horizontal rotating shaft, for treating bulk material such as grain, and a feed hopper for feeding such material, the combination with said treating means and hopper of a vali e for controlling the feed horizontally hinged at right angles to said shaft; a crank arm whereby the valve may be actuated; a centrifugal governor on said shaft; a collar loose on said shaft connected with said governor so that it may be moved longitudinally of said shaft without rotating; a connecting rod pivotally connected directly with said crank arm and collar whereby the valve is actuated by said collar; a spring secured to the connecting rod and a stationary part tending to close the valve; and means for varying the tension of the spring.

Signed at the city of Brantford, this second day of March, 1915, in the presence .of the two undersigned Witnesses.

MORLEY FOUNTAIN VERITY.

WVitnesses:

ARCH. M. IIARLEY, STANLEY E. BUCK.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G, 

